Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Environmental Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2025 | Viewed by 11667

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
Interests: ocean observation; marine equipment; optical fiber sensing; acoustic

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Guest Editor
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Interests: marine mammal ecology and conservation; passive acoustic monitoring for ocean animals; ocean soundscape/acoustic diversity; ocean noise pollution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The marine environment is faced with numerous threats, including pollution, overfishing, climate change, and habitat destruction. Effective monitoring, management, and assessment of the marine environment are essential to ensure its sustainability and protect biodiversity. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers and practitioners to share their latest findings and innovative solutions in the field of marine environment monitoring, management, and assessment. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on the topics mentioned above. We particularly encourage submissions that present innovative solutions and techniques for monitoring, managing, and assessing the marine environment that are non-invasive and have a low negative impact on marine ecosystems. The scope of the Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  • Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for Environmental Monitoring and Management;
  • Marine Monitoring Using Optical Fiber Sensors and Acoustic Detection Systems;
  • Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Environmental Assessment and Management;
  • Novel Assessment and Management Solutions for the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources;
  • Marine Biodiversity Monitoring, Assessment Conservation, and Restoration.

Dr. Jinping Cheng
Prof. Dr. Huayong Yang
Dr. Liang Fang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • non-invasive monitoring
  • environmental DNA
  • optical fiber sensors
  • acoustic detection system
  • artificial intelligence

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1799 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Sampling and Identification of Calanoid Copepods Using Acoustic Sensor Data and eDNA Metabarcoding: A Data-Driven Approach
by Lara Veylit, Stefania Piarulli, Julia Farkas, Emlyn J. Davies, Ralph Stevenson-Jones, Marianne Aas, Sanna Majaneva and Sigrid Hakvåg
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 685; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040685 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 366
Abstract
To achieve the aims of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework, the management of marine areas requires the use of cost- and time- effective monitoring of biodiversity. Marine observation platforms are increasingly used for such monitoring activities. These platforms allow [...] Read more.
To achieve the aims of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework, the management of marine areas requires the use of cost- and time- effective monitoring of biodiversity. Marine observation platforms are increasingly used for such monitoring activities. These platforms allow data to be collected from a variety of sensors simultaneously in real-time and in situ, providing the opportunity for both adapting where and when sampling is performed and for using multiple data streams for more comprehensive information to be collected on marine biodiversity. While some recent monitoring activities are following an adaptive sampling approach (in which sampling is adapted to ecological phenomena such as diel vertical migration), most still do not use a data-driven approach (in which multiple data streams are used to inform sampling). In this study, we performed eDNA metabarcoding to monitor the community of copepods found in the high-latitude environment near Trondheim, Norway. We applied an adaptive sampling approach to detect calanoid copepods at seasonally contrasting time points using real-time acoustic sensor data. Acoustic sensor data were used to inform when plankton net samples were collected in a 24 h period, as Calanoid copepods migrate through the water column throughout the day to avoid predation. These results demonstrate how multiple information streams from complimentary monitoring methods can be combined for more robust monitoring of biodiversity by confirming the presence (or absence) of relevant taxa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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13 pages, 8353 KiB  
Article
The Mitigation of Mutual Coupling Effects in Multi-Beam Echosounder Calibration under Near-Field Conditions
by Wanyuan Zhang, Weijia Yuan, Gongwu Sun, Tengjiao He, Junqi Qu and Chao Xu
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(1), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12010125 - 8 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1386
Abstract
The advancement of unmanned platforms is driving the miniaturization and cost reduction of the multi-beam echosounder (MBES). In the process of MBES array calibration, the mutual coupling significantly impacts the performance of parameter estimation. We propose a correction method to mitigate the mutual [...] Read more.
The advancement of unmanned platforms is driving the miniaturization and cost reduction of the multi-beam echosounder (MBES). In the process of MBES array calibration, the mutual coupling significantly impacts the performance of parameter estimation. We propose a correction method to mitigate the mutual coupling effects in the calibration of MBES acoustic array. Initially, a near-field focused beamforming model is established to assess the influence of mutual coupling. Subsequently, the covariance matrix in the frequency domain is constructed to enhance algorithm efficiency and simplify solution procedures. This construction eliminates the need for a low-pass filtering step after heterodyning through extracting peak values near zero frequency in the signal frequency domain. Meanwhile, the Toeplitz property is leveraged to render the estimation results independent of the mutual coupling matrix. Finally, the mutual coupling coefficients and the direction of arrival (DOA) are joint-estimated and the Cramér–Rao bound is derived. The presented method effectively addresses the engineering challenge of MBES mutual coupling calibration. Additionally, the performance of the proposed method is verified through the measured data in simulation and tank experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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17 pages, 8372 KiB  
Article
Depth Spatial Characterization of Marine Environmental Noise in the Zengmu Basin
by Xiaoming Cui, Siyuan Cang, Chao Li, Danling Tang, Qing Hu and Huayong Yang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(12), 2226; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11122226 - 24 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1326
Abstract
Based on the measured data obtained from an array of optical fiber hydrophones, this paper analyzes and interprets the depth spatial spectrum characteristics, correlation characteristics, and vertical directionality of marine environmental noise in the Zengmu Basin. The analysis is conducted within the frequency [...] Read more.
Based on the measured data obtained from an array of optical fiber hydrophones, this paper analyzes and interprets the depth spatial spectrum characteristics, correlation characteristics, and vertical directionality of marine environmental noise in the Zengmu Basin. The analysis is conducted within the frequency range of 20 Hz to 2500 Hz. Additionally, the statistical characteristics of the probability density distribution of environmental noise in the Zengmu Basin were studied and analyzed. The findings indicate that the predominant ambient noise in the low-frequency range (less than 400 Hz) in the Zengmu Basin is primarily attributed to distant sources, commonly identified as ship radiation noise. In the high-frequency band (greater than 400 Hz), the marine ambient noise is primarily derived from the sea surface, predominantly in the form of wind-generated noise. In the frequency range of 25–1600 Hz, examined in this study, the power spectral density exhibits an average decrease of over 3 dB and a maximum decrease of over 5 dB with each doubling of frequency. When the frequency is below 400 Hz, there is a higher vertical spatial correlation to ambient noise. The vertical directivity of the noise energy is horizontal, meaning that it is perpendicular to the vertical array direction. Additionally, the probability distribution of the noise level approximately follows the Burr distribution. When the frequency exceeds 400 Hz, there is a low vertical spatial correlation to noise. The vertical directivity of environmental noise exhibits distinct grooves in the horizontal direction, and the probability distribution of the noise spectrum level generally follows a normal distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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25 pages, 46376 KiB  
Article
High Value of Information Guided Data Enhancement for Heterogeneous Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
by Yun Li, Jie Bai, Yan Chen, Xingyu Lu and Peiguang Jing
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(9), 1654; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11091654 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1259
Abstract
Ensuring the freshness of high Value of Information (VoI) data has a significant practice meaning for marine observations and emergencies. The traditional forward method with an auv-aid is used to ensure the freshness of high VoI data. However, the methods suffer from two [...] Read more.
Ensuring the freshness of high Value of Information (VoI) data has a significant practice meaning for marine observations and emergencies. The traditional forward method with an auv-aid is used to ensure the freshness of high VoI data. However, the methods suffer from two issues: an insufficient high VoI data throughput and random forwarding for cluster heads (CHs). The AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) with limited energy cannot meet the demand for the random generation of high VoI data. Low VoI data packets compete with high VoI data packets for channels, resulting in an insufficient high VoI data throughput and a low freshness. To address the above issues, we propose the Data Access Channel Scheme based on High Value of Information (DACS-HVOI), which is suitable for prioritizing the transmission packets with a high VoI. First, according to the level of VoI, the packets are divided into K classes, and the packets that are collected and forwarded by the AUV are defined as the highest K+1 class. Second, based on prior knowledge in the network, a Markov chain algorithm-based method is employed to predict which nodes should preferentially use the channel, to avoid conflict between a low and high VoI. Third, based on the stochastic fluid theory, a multilevel queueing system for CHs are constructed to avoid random forwarding. Last, compared with state-of-art protocols, experimental simulation shows that the proposed scheme has a low latency and high network throughput, while improving the throughput of high-VoI packets and ensuring the priority transmission of high-VoI packets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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Review

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27 pages, 1476 KiB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Environmental DNA Metabarcoding and High-Resolution Underwater Optical Imaging for Noninvasive and Innovative Marine Environmental Monitoring
by Jing Yang, Chao Li, Linus Shing Him Lo, Xu Zhang, Zhikui Chen, Jing Gao, Clara U, Zhijun Dai, Masahiro Nakaoka, Huayong Yang and Jinping Cheng
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(10), 1729; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12101729 - 1 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3516
Abstract
To effectively protect the marine environment, it is crucial to establish effective environ mental monitoring platforms. Traditional marine environmental monitoring methods heavily rely on morphological identification and field expertise, with the sampling process being disruptive and potentially destructive to vulnerable marine environments. In [...] Read more.
To effectively protect the marine environment, it is crucial to establish effective environ mental monitoring platforms. Traditional marine environmental monitoring methods heavily rely on morphological identification and field expertise, with the sampling process being disruptive and potentially destructive to vulnerable marine environments. In light of emerging biomonitoring needs and biodiversity declines, we reviewed the urgently needed, ongoing advances in developing effective, noninvasive, and innovative monitoring methods and systems to examine the complex marine environment for better strategic conservation and protection, using the coral ecosystem as one of the representative forefront examples in marine protection. This review summarizes current trends and efforts in transitioning into more standardizable and automatable utilizations of environmental DNA metabarcoding-based monitoring strategies and high-resolution underwater optical imaging monitoring systems as two of the promising pillars for the next generation of noninvasive biomonitoring and associated applications. The assistance of artificial intelligence for environmental DNA metabarcoding and high-resolution underwater optical imaging into an empowered, all-rounded monitoring platform for enhanced monitoring capacity is discussed as a highly potent direction for future research exploration. This review will be a cornerstone reference for the future development of artificial intelligence-assisted, noninvasive, and innovative marine environmental monitoring systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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31 pages, 2018 KiB  
Review
Biological and Environmental Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Marine Fishes: A Review
by Diletta Punginelli, Antonella Maccotta and Dario Savoca
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(7), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12071133 - 5 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2139
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals are recognized as a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence or pseudo-persistence and their biological activity. Their increased consumption in human and animal medicine has led to a continuous discharge of such biologically active molecules in aquatic environments. Marine [...] Read more.
Pharmaceuticals are recognized as a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence or pseudo-persistence and their biological activity. Their increased consumption in human and animal medicine has led to a continuous discharge of such biologically active molecules in aquatic environments. Marine ecosystems have been poorly investigated, even though recent studies have confirmed that these emerging contaminants occur widely in these ecosystems. Due to their interaction with specific biochemical and physiological pathways in target organisms, pharmaceuticals can cause alterations in several marine species during their entire life cycle. In particular, marine fishes have shown the ability to bioaccumulate these compounds in their body, and they may be used as potential bioindicators of pharmaceutical contamination in seawater. The objective of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the sources and occurrence of pharmaceuticals in marine environments, illustrating the adverse biological effects of important classes of these compounds on marine fishes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Marine Environment Monitoring, Management and Assessment)
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